Flexible coupling.



C. H. CLARK. FLEXIBLE couPLmG. .APPLICATION FILE'D MAY 22. 1.915.

1,303,853. Paten@A May 20, 1919.

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CHARLES HSKELL CLARK, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

FLEXIBLE COUPLING.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. CLARK, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the county of New York, in the State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulk Improvements 1n Flexible Couplings, of which the following is a specicationf This invention relates to flexible couplings, such asl are described in application -for Letters-Patent Serial Number 813,140, filed by me January 19th, 1914, and has for its object te provide an improvement in-.the construction illustrated in said application, which-is of peculiar importance when the coupling is used in connection with high speeds.

The flexible coupling Vdescribed in my aforesaid application .comprises two adjacent sprocket-wheels or sprocket-cut disks mounted respectively upon they two shafts to be coupled together and held together by als the chain, especially when the shafts cou" means of a chain, which is of a width equal to the combinedwidth of. the sprocketwheels, so that it may engage the teeth of both. This chain must -be kept properly lubricated in order vfor the'coupling to operate satisfactorily.` No diiicult hasbeen found in lubricating the chain by ordinary means when the ycoupling is used upon shafting revolving at amoderate speed. It

has been found, however, that when the coupling lisrotated at a high rate lof speed any oil or grease upon the chain is thrown olf by .centrifugal force, .so that the' chain cannot be kept properly lubricated.

he present invention is to provide means pled are badly out of alinement. These and other objects are accomplished by a rotat jing casing, the, form` and construction of Aat " sodimm of imvhich isniusnnea in the' are rotated, the casingrotateswith them and,

which are hereinafter described. In order that my invention'may'be clearly understood, I-fwilldescribe' a' specific empling showing the casing infsection;

Fig. 3 is a' sectional end'vewof the cou-`A` Specification of Letters Patent. Eaign-,Qd May 2Q, 1.919, application sied my 22, 1915. sem'ai No.' 29,728.

together are the shafts 1 and 2. Upon the" ends of these shafts, respectively, are mounted the hubs 3, 4. bearing the sprocket-wheels or sprocket-cut disks 5, 6. The sprockets of these sprocket-wheels may be cut off along the pitch line, as shown in' Fig. 3.

Surrounding both sprocket-wheels and engaging the sprocket-notchesl of both is the loop fof chain 7. rIhe chain shown in the drawing is what is known as a roller-chain, consisting of links-comprising side bars 8,-

connected by means of pivots, which, in the form shown, consist of rivets 9, surrounded by bushings 10, which are surrounded by Vcylindricalrollers 11. In one of the pivots, a bolt 12 is used instead of a rivet, in order that the device may be assembled and taken apart.

In the drawing, the shafts'l, 2, are shown in enact alinement. As'pointed out in my previous application hereinbefore-referred to, the flexibility of the couplin renders.' i

unnecessary enact alinement A'of t e shafts. They are here shown in such/ alinement merely for convenience in illustration.

Surrounding the coupling is an annular casing 13,.one side and the end of whichare v composed of an integral piece of material 14. An annular disk 15 forms the other side of the casing. This disk isdriven into engagement with a recess 16 in the part 14.

. rI`he central apertures in the parts 14 and 15 `which surround the hubs 3 and 4 are made .suiiciently large to prevent binding when Ithe shafts, and, consequentl-y,`the hubs, are

slightly out of alinement. I have found a .play of one-sixty-fourth of an inch in 1 radius satisfactory.

Before fthe casing 13 is assembled, it is filled withheavy grease. or oil. It is then placed about the coupling, and the disk 15 is driven into the part 14. When the shafts consequently, the oil orgreasein the casing this position7 it serves adequately to lubricate the chain `7, all parts of the chain being immersed in the grease. The joint between the parts 15 and 14 of the casing is oil-tight, 'so 'that the grease cannot escap'e from the casing.

When itis desired 7to take the casingapart in order to take apart the coupling, or for any other' reason, it i-s merely necessary to strike the edge 17 of the pant 14 with a hammer. This drives the part 14 from` the disk 15, the disk being held against the Wheel 5. If the casing is made ofthin metal, diiliculty may be experienced in hitting the edge 17 of 'the part 14 Without at the same time bring ing the hammer in contact with the disk 15. In order to avoid this difficulty in taking `apart when thin metal is used, the modification shown in Fig. 4 may be used. In this.

form the pant 14 has a tapering lip 17 extending beyond the recess 16', into which the disk 15- is driven. In takingv apart, it is merely necessary t0 strike the end of this lip 17.With a hammer.

- By constructing the casing in either'of the Ways illustrated, I avoid the necessity ofV using any bolts or other attaching means in connection with the casing.`

A felt' lining 18 is preferably used upon f th'e inner cylindrical surfaceI of the casing.

This lining is soft and resilient and is of such thickness that it comes into contact with the chain 7 Thislining performs an important function in tending to hold the links of the-v chain closely against the sprocket Wheelsa nd thus to prevent the rattling which would otherwise be caused by the necessary play of the chain, especially Where the shafts are badly lout of alinement. Under reciprocating loads, springs ,adapted to hold the chain closely against the sprocket-notches may, if desired, be used Within the casing. Such springs as are shown in my co-pending application Serial Number 29,243, filed May 18th, 1915,. may be used, even though a felt lining is used in the casing, as the softness and elasticity of the lining is suiiicient to permit their operation.

It is obvious that many changes may be i made in the specific embodiment illustrated Without departing from the spirit of my invention. It is not necessary, for example, that the sides of the coupling be extended to have a running Contact With the :hubs or shafts, as the casing ,maybe bornelentirely by the chain, especially if the lining is used. The casing, need not be of the specific construction shown, and, While itis desirable that the casing should be removable, the

line on which its component parts come to sisting of pivotally connected links encircling said sprocket-wheels, a rigid member encircling said loop of chain, and a resilient member contacting with the links `of said chain and With -said rigid member.

3. The combination of a shaft-coupling, a casing surrounding same comprising a c ylindrical member having closed ends, one of said end-members being driven into its correspondingend of said cylinder and adapted to be forced out by said coupling when said casing is forced longitudinally of the shaft.

4.' A flexible coupling comprisin. mounted on the members to be coup ed, connecting means surrounding the disks, an annular casing surrounding the connecting means, said casing being out of Contact With said disks, and means interposed between the disk-connecting means and the casin to maintain said casing in concentric posltion relative to the axes of said disks. t

'CHARLES' HAsKELL CLARK.

disks, 

